Sunday Musings In Late June

~ beetleypete

Almost ten days since I passed the eye test, and still no news from the DVLA about my driving licence renewal. As I mentioned last week, I will not be celebrating until I am holding the new licence in my hand. Next Friday will be five months since I first submitted my application.

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The government lost two parliamentary seats in by-elections this week, causing mounting pressure on Boris Johnson to resign. Naturally, he was quick to say he was not going to resign, and ignored the results. It is worth noting why those by-elections had to take place, following the resignations of the Conservatives who had previously won the seats.

The former MP for Tiverton and Honiton was found to be watching pornography on his phone in the House of Commons.
The former MP for Wakefield was convicted of sexually assaulting a 15 year-old boy, and jailed for 18 months.

Very much the kind of people the Conservatives like to have representing them.

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The weather has stayed warm in the east of England, even overnight. Ollie’s walks have had to be curtailed by his frequent dips in the river, as he struggles to keep cool.

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My blogging slump has recovered somewhat, with a new fiction serial in progress, and some other posts that have been well-received.

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The overturning of the right to a pregnancy termination in America (depending on the state) is a tragic backward step for that country. But it moves it many steps nearer to becoming the ‘Gilead’ featured in the book and TV series, ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’. It seems to me that Canadian author Margaret Attwood actually saw into the future of the United States.
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Wherever you are, I hope that you are having a peaceful and enjoyable Sunday.

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63 thoughts on “Sunday Musings In Late June”

  1. A backward step indeed and the beginning of the end I fear…I hope you get to hear about your licence very soon as 5 months is ridiculous although some was waiting for the eye test 🙂 x

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  2. Sweet Ollie and you have such a unique relationship, he’s one lucky dog, and I see he makes your life immeasurably better. I’m hoping for your license to come through very soon. And yes, the new ruling has set the US decades back in time, it is a shocking reversal in women’s reproductive rights, and I fear what might be next. We live in crazy times…hugs, C

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    1. I think they will go after same sex marriage and gay teachers in schools next, Cheryl. Then it won’t be long before they attack basic freedoms like alternative religions, atheism, and fringe political parties. It is the beginning of a much larger ‘plan’, in my opinion.
      (The Handmaid’s Talenovel or TV series will show you what might happen eventually.)
      Best wishes, Pete. x

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  3. That’s outrageous waiting that long for license Pete. And I’m with you on Gilead. The US is moving backwards thanks to the cultists in power taking it down. Under his eye. 😦

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  4. It’s ridiculous that you have had to worry about your license for a long time. I would feel exactly the same because driving equals independence.

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  5. I had to check to see if there were news about the DVLA, but unfortunately, not. Here it has been pretty hot as well, but it is to be expected. I read a comment by Atwood saying that at the time she wasn’t sure they would publish the story because they would think it was too outlandish, but, I guess she was just ahead of time. We live in very strange times, Pete. Stay safe.

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  7. Your DL woes are a not nightmare. Seems the hot weather is an international thing we too have been unnaturally hot….we are pleased to see you return to your ‘groove’…..chuq

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    1. Thanks very much, Robbie. Passing the eye test improved my mood, but not actually getting the licence yet is still a small ‘black cloud’ over my head.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  10. It is a sad day for women in America. It sounds like Parliament is just as bad. Weather is in the 90’s, which is terrible, but rain at last tomorrow will break the heat. Best to you, Pete.

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    1. Things are not great in our government, but at least we do not have religious issues affecting everyday secular life. I hope the SCOTUS doesn’t go after same sex marriage in America next, Jennie.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  16. I’m afraid you are right, Pete, that this country is heading for trouble. The January 6th hearings have turned up some shocking stuff but even if the guilty parties are jailed the deluded followers will not accept that it was an attempt to overthrow a legal and valid election, so either way there is no resolve. The two parties will never agree about anything. Glad you two MP’s had to resign. At least in Britain things like that can happen quickly, unlike here where it takes months and Americans have short memories.

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  17. America began the backward slide the minute the half-educated (Or the poorly educated) denizens of the remote hills and hollers first learned what toilet paper was for and started their long and laborious journey to the seats of governance. This progression proves that higher developed anthropoids do have ambition if they have no common sense at all.

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  18. I shrink from commenting on your musings out of fear of jinxing outcomes (DVLA; a repulsive dictator’s crazed grip on power trashing centuries of sweat, blood and tears of English-speaking people; the regressive, anti-humanitarian, anti-rational SCOTUS decision which reaches into all our lives – nah, better not comment, but you can guess what I’m thinking.)

    Thank you for never shirking an issue in our dire times.

    P.S. my heart missed a beat today when I saw a Shar Pei but he/she wasn’t as special as Ollie! XX)

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    1. Thanks as always, dear Pippa. Ollie is special, even more so to me now that he is visibly old, always tired, and finding it harder to walk any significant distance. I shed a quiet tear when I see him stumble into the river for a drink on hot days.
      Best wishes, Pete. xx

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    1. Perhaps they will, Stevie. But they may do it by using unqualified ‘back-street’ abortionists, unregluated drugs on the black market, or by having to travel across the country to states where it will still be legal. I think it was a sad day for women in the USA.
      Next, the same people will be trying to ban same-sex marriage, and many more of the ‘progressive’ laws passed since the 1960s. That country will be even more divided than it is now.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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    2. HI Stevie, I don’t think its that easy to get an illegal abortion and it’s also dangerous. I think this decision is horrific and a huge step backwards for women’s rights in developing countries who all follow the USA.

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        1. Yes, but you’d have to be able to afford to do that. It is quite likely that illegal backstreet abortions will come back and those are very risky. It is just a dreadful think to have happened. A giant step backwards.

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  21. (1) Odds are that your driver’s license renewal will be authorized sometime in this very same calendar year. Rejoice!
    (2a) A lot of politicians watch pornography in their house. It’s very common.
    (2b) The 15-year-old boy fell asleep in Wakefield, and so failed to respond when he was asked, “Hey, do you mind if I chew on your straw?”
    (3) At least the river hasn’t dried up yet. Water ya gonna when it does?
    (4) You were in such a slump that your followers were thinking of inviting you to a slumper party.
    (5) Two sides to every coin. https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/abortion-survivors-supreme-court-trauma-dawn
    (6) A peaceful Sunday in America? Now, that’s a riot!

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  22. I am still in a soup, Pete. Nice to see you recovering. The news has me feeling rather discouraged. The interesting thing about Atwood’s book – she said all her concepts were based on events that had already transpired at some time throughout history. I guess history does repeat itself. I hope your license comes through soon. One less thing to worry yourself about.

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  23. Five months is a long time! Hope you get the licence soon. I just cannot understand what is happening in America!! Women are treated as second class citizens. I am sure women who want to terminate their pregnancy would have really thought hard about it before taking a decision. Regards

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    1. They can still go to California, and some other states. But that could be an expensive proposition, as America is such a vast country. The Republicans seem to be intent on retruning the USA back to the darker days of the 1800s.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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    1. I really do think it will actually happen, Darlene. The Republicans are using her book as a ‘How To’ guide. I may not live to see the full horror of it, but it will be uncannily like Gilead.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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